UniTone contains aloesin and a vitamin C derivative and is claimed to inhibit the activity of tyrosinase, an enzyme involved in the production of melanin, as well as reducing the skin‘s intracellular and extracellular melanin content.
UniTone incorporates Rovi Cosmetics’ Ineocell delivery technology, which according to the company’s business development and marketing manager, Sarah Teichmüller, is a cell-targeted delivery system that is positively charged (cationic), while the skin is negatively charged (anionic).
Reduction in melanin content
In in vivo tests, subjects pre-tanned their skin by UV irradiation for seven days, and then applied a gel containing 3 per cent UniTone twice a day for 14 days.
After 14 days, the melanin content of the stratum basale was reduced by 95 per cent and the melanin content of the stratum spinosum decreased 96 per cent. A control group that applied a placebo gel did not show any decrease in melanin content.
An in vitro test on B16 murin melanoma cells showed that a 0.25 per cent concentration of UniTone inhibited tyrosinase activity by 25 per cent.
Furthermore, an in vitro study showed that UniTine decreases the intra- and extracellular melanin content proportionally to its concentration. At 0.5 per cent UniTone, intracellular melanin decreased over 50 per cent, while the extracellular melanin decreased over 40 per cent.
Can be used for targeted or uniform skin lightening
The whitening effect of UniTone is reversible, and the ingredient is ideal for use in emulsions or serums, according to Teichmüller
“In a facial emulsion, [UniTone] would lead to a uniform skin lightening as desired in Asia. For the Western regions we would suggest a local application as people usually fight pigmentation disorders. Therefore, we would suggest a roll-on applicator containing a serum,” she said.